At World's End
by Mystletainn
Summary: The Holy Wars have been fought for a long time, and the world continues to be wrought with constant fighting, amidst the vain attempts of diplomacy. However, the two factions might not be the only ones with their proverbial hats in the ring, and it becomes clear to two Pokemon from opposing factions when they find themselves in a situation. But can they survive to get the word out?
1. Chaos

Okay I lied. The Monster Hunter fanfiction will have to wait. Pokemon X and Y and already out, and Monster Hunter 4 won't be localized for a while, and I don't want to risk getting ahead of schedule, even considering how slow I've been lately. There's still parts of it that isn't known much, and if the release date is far enough away, then I may end up stuck. On the other hand, Gen 6 is now out, so you're getting another Pokemon fic, which I'm sure you're happy about. I might just stick with Pokemon if I get/rediscover more ideas while writing this one. So! Here we go again! Hopefully, there won't be any terribly long breaks, since I'm at college and can hopefully spare a few nights writing.

* * *

**Chapter 1: Chaos**

* * *

"So, do you have any idea why we're here?"

Terrell flipped the fourth card on the table. Eight of spades. Mm, not the best of results, but there was still plenty of room to win, being a game of chance. The Granbull sighed, leaning his head on his arm, the elbow of which was resting on the table. With his other hand, he tapped the table, signifying that he'd check. There was already a good-sized pot already, as it was.

"Call." Sitting opposite him was a Delphox, who turned the river, revealing a jack of diamonds. She grinned, obviously liking it, comparing her own two cards with the five that were in the center of the table. "Full house. Sorry." The Fire-type flipped her cards, revealing a jack of clubs and a five of hearts, matching the revealed jack as well as two other fives.

Terrell simply sighed again, pushing over the chips that he had bet. His own two pair of sevens and fives wouldn't win him this round. "Really, Lyra? It's like nobody can beat you at card games. I don't know why anyone still plays with you."

The Delphox shifted on the spot, shrugging. "Because it's fun. But still, it'd be better if we had everyone here. They're on duty though." Lyra looked over his shoulder, gazing out the window of their temporary building. "Which is why we're here. Did you forget already? Intel said that this town was going to be a danger zone for a while."

The Granbull frowned, putting another ante in the center before dealing out the next round. He had pocket nines. That would be nice. "I didn't forget, it's just... is it really necessary to have everyone here? I mean, for Arceus's sake, they sent Sophia's unit here along with ours. How much strength do we need? It's just a town."

Lyra shrugged as well, putting her own ante in as Terrell turned the flop. "You know how the organization is nowadays. Any sign of them, and the higher-ups start overreacting."

"It's not overreacting. We can't be careless." A Gallade stepped into the room, raising an eyebrow at Lyra's two cards before returning his attention to the two Pokemon.

The Delphox merely smiled sadly. "Yes sir, I remember. It's just that events like what happened back in Kaladin are so unlikely. I can understand not wanting something like that to happen again, but it's just really grinding."

Despite being a commander, the Gallade was fairly relaxed and on friendly terms with most Pokemon under his supervision. Getting to know them personally made cooperating much easier. It didn't stop Lyra from calling him 'sir'. The Delphox had always been polite. "We'll be changing shifts in about ten minutes. You two will be taking over for the two soldiers at the square from Sophie's division. Lucien should be joining you there as well. That's one of the posts close by the Judgment positions, so watch out for them." Terrell and Lyra nodded as the Gallade departed.

Terrell paused, looking at Lyra for a moment. "You know, you should take him more seriously. He's a commander for a reason."

The Delphox glared back at him. "I take him extremely seriously, which is why I give him the respect he deserves." Her expression broke, changing to one of sadness. "It's just that with all that's going on with the war and whatnot, I'm just never really sure of anything anymore."

The Granbull nodded. "Yeah. It's been really hectic, but y'know, we just go with it. It's what we do."

Lyra nodded. "Yes, I suppose so. We should head over now, to get there early. Maybe talk with the others for a few minutes before their shift ends. Plus, we can wait there in case Lucien gets there early as well." As she got up from the table and began to organize and put away the cards and chips, she gave Terrell a light smirk. "Plus, I had a straight flush right from the flop."

The Granbull was helping put the chips away when he froze at that information, a welt of irritation beginning to show on his face. "SERIOUSLY! YOU FOXES AND YOUR DAMN MAGIC!" Putting the stack of chips back in the box, he stomped out the room. His voice could be heard from near the entrance to the building. "And yet I still play with you every week. Yeesh…"

Lyra chuckled. Terrell may not be the best at bluffing, despite having a good hand or a bad hand, but he certainly was able to get over issues fast. Using an incantation to open a small portal, she slipped the box containing the poker game in before closing it again, heading off to follow the Granbull towards their destination.

* * *

Elia frowned as she watched her partner. "Vince. Doodling on the ground will do nothing but tell everyone that you were here. Do you have to do that every time?"

Vince, a Smeargle, was completely absorbed in his work and nearly ignored his fellow sentry. "It's not like anything's going to happen. Nothing has for the past week ever since we've been here." And with that, silence.

The Xatu frowned. "Vince. The future will not be the same as the past. What benefits do you obtain from engaging in such activities? Cultural productions are not of great use in an environment such as this."

The Smeargle sighed, still not stopping his painting. "I do what I have to. It keeps my mind active. Otherwise, I'd miss things because I wouldn't be paying attention."

Elia sweatdropped, not bothering to comment on just how wrong that statement was. Luckily, her psychic abilities aided her in keeping an eye out for anything suspect. "Our shift will be over in approximately eight minutes. You can resume painting on the canvas back in your room. Could you please help out with our guard duty? I don't have a good feeling about this." There was something more to it, but she didn't want to tell him.

Raising an eyebrow at that last statement, Vince then did let go of his tail and looked curiously at the Xatu. "Did you have a premonition or something, then?" The Smeargle frowned. "I'm not stupid, I know your species are dead-accurate with stuff like that." The Smeargle glanced around. "Eight minutes is a long time for something to happen."

Elia frowned. "I suppose you could say that." True to her word, her keen eyes picked up something approaching from a distance. Vince looked at her to try and follow her eyes, and spotted the figure as well.

Their fears were slightly relieved, as the approaching figure's body language gave off no aggressive signals. Coming closer, it appeared to be a Delphox, one that neither sentry recognized.

Elia raised an eyebrow. "And you might be?"

The Delphox smiled. "I'm Lyra, from Garrett's division. You two are Sophia's soldiers?"

Vince grinned upon listening to her greeting, turning to Elia. "See? Nothing to worry about." Glancing back to Lyra, the Smeargle continued. "Yes, we are. She said our replacements were going to be from another division, so I didn't really know who to expect."

The Xatu tilted her head. "You're a bit early, though. Also, is anyone else with you?"

The Delphox frowned. "That's the thing. My partner left before I did, so I figured he'd be here first. And the third was coming from elsewhere, and he's not around either…"

All three guards jolted upon hearing a yell from not too far away. "HEY! EMERGENCY! WATCH OUT!"

Lyra grimaced, gritting her teeth. "That's Terrell's voice…!" She was about to say something else, but then two massive explosions ripped through the area, and all hell broke loose.

Pokemon poured out from all sorts of places that the three of them weren't even aware of had been there. But, they were fighting, which meant that they had definitely found the enemy. Or possibly, the enemy had found them.

* * *

The soldier called Lucien woke with a jolt. Quite literally, as his bed jolted from the shock of a tremor. Wondering what was going on, he threw off the covers, but his question was quickly answered when the sounds of battle did not cease. _'Wait, crap! What time is it?'_ he thought, looking for his clock. His shift was in five minutes, but something was going down in the town right now, so sentry duty would have to wait. Likely, his partners for that shift would have already been in on the action, but it seemed to be city-wide.

He recalled that before their unit had traveled to this town, they had been told it was to try and maintain order, because Judgment had done the same. He had already lost his previous commander to the wars, and hoped that this wouldn't be the same way. The Soldiers of Life were having a hard time preserving it. As for why they were fighting… there was no time to go over stuff like that, he had to help his allies.

This battle was going to be messy, he already knew that. The Lucario's aura senses had already picked up anger, desperation, and more from outside. The bed wasn't made completely, but it was to be ignored as Lucien promptly threw open the curtains in order to slam shut the battle hatch, a blast-proof cover for the windows.

The room taken care of, his attention was still on those fighting outside. They would need a whole lot to help them pull out victorious, with as few casualties as possible. He knelt down to the floor, clasping his hands as he muttered a short prayer. "Lord Xerneas, please lend us your aid in this fight. Give us strength that we may preserve life."

The Lucario then hopped over to the other side of the bed to the exit of his bedroom. However, it was a shock to him that when he opened the door to head out, a Pokemon was already in the doorway. Lucien's reaction was slower than the newcomer's, and he was immediately tackled to the floor and pinned.

His attacker glared at him with ice-blue eyes. It had mostly grey and black fur, but with red claws and a large back of red fur that was tied near the back. "I heard that. Xerneas." The words were said with disgust and malevolence, but it also told another fact. Lucien was pinned by a female who was far stronger than him. Well, that was depressing. "You're one of them, aren't you?! Soldiers of Life… pfft."

Lucien struggled to get up, which only led to the Zoroark pushing harder on a pressure point. "Ow…" Finding it pointless to struggle, he stopped trying, something that seemed to amuse the Dark-type holding him down. "What do you want with me? Most enemies would've killed me by now had they been in your situation."

The Zoroark's eyes lit with anticipation. "Something I intend to do at some point, but one more dead body isn't the best of uses of a prisoner of war."

Lucien raised an eyebrow. "What…? This is my room, I'm not in your hideout or wha – OW!" The Zoroark narrowed her eyes with a look that clearly told the Lucario he should know better. "Fine, I'm a prisoner of war. Again, what do you want with me?" The pressure she was putting on his chest with her knee wasn't something he felt he could handle for too long, especially considering she could hurt him a lot more should the Dark-type choose to do so.

He wasn't expecting her face to light up with anger. "WHO SET THOSE BOMBS!? I'm going to kill that bitch! They killed twelve of our men and crippled eight!"

The Lucario's face expressed his confusion as best as he could. "Wait, bombs…? What bo– WOULD YOU STOP THAT!" He grunted in pain as the Zoroark dug her knee deeper into his chest and claws deeper into his elbow.

"You very well know who did it, Life scum. I'll break your ribs if I have to." The dead glare in the Zoroark's eyes told her that she was serious, but there wasn't much Lucien could do about it.

All he could try was explaining his own point of view. Something wasn't right here. "When my unit and I came here, we were told to hold this position, but nothing about bombing Judgment in a neutral contested town. I didn't think there was going to be any fighting…"

"You're just a grunt, aren't you." Her voice was filled with contempt and disappointment, and it showed in her steady gaze as well. "For a Lucario? I expected more."

Lucien rolled his eyes. "Well, the way you pinned me wasn't exactly ideal circumstances… THIS IS MY ROOM! What the heck are you doing here anyway?"

Clearly irritated at this point, the Zoroark shoved hard on his shoulder until she heard something crack. Lucien yelled out in pain, but his assailant paid him no heed. "That is MY business, not yours."

"Lucien? Are you there? What's going on…?" The voice came from outside. It was frantic, and quickly approaching, and it was a voice that he recognized, having heard it a few times. But before he could yell a response, the Zoroark's other hand slammed his jaw, effectively muzzling him.

She next spoke in a quieter tone, but with a hint of excitement. "Now, who might that be? A friend? Or maybe a fellow bombing conspirator…? Heh…" However, what both of them heard next completely threw the Dark-type off guard.

"Lucien! What's going on?! There's been a bombing! Terrell was killed, so were a lot of the others, and then fighting just broke out! There's so many dead bodies I don't even know who–" It was at that point that Lyra opened the door to his room. She stopped midsentence as her mind quickly took in what was happening, but before she could cast an attack, the Zoroark had already leapt off of Lucien, making sure to use his groin as a step-off to keep him down as she struck down the Delphox with a Night Slash to the temple. The Fire-type was unconscious before she hit the ground.

The shock of Lyra's words, the sight of Lyra being struck down in one blow, and the pain from the Zoroark's dash all prevented Lucien from being able to get up completely while not pinned, and so she immediately punched the Lucario in the gut, but instead of pinning him, she hesitated for several moments, before taking a seat on the bed with a completely puzzled expression. "Wait… you guys were bombed…? And we… but…" Her eyes snapped wide open, dashing to the window and throwing open the battle hatch, scanning the environment.

Even though Lucien was still reeling from the low blow, he could still make out the Zoroark's eyes narrowing. To his mild surprise, the Dark-type made her way back to him, taking his hand and pulling him up. Dragging him to the window, the Zoroark pointed towards a fight that was visible from the window. There was a Greninja locked in combat with a Bisharp. The Water-type seemed to be able to outmaneuver the Steel-type, but the Bisharp was visibly more powerful. Combined with its skill in close-range combat, the Greninja was the one under pressure most of the time. "That Greninja is one of my friends. Do you know that Bisharp? Doesn't seem like the type of Pokemon that would strike me as a Soldier of Life."

Lucien was still recovering from his beatings, but this new advancement overtook his desire to hit the Zoroark back. "No, it's not… I don't recognize it, and there's only like two Bisharp that I know of in our entire faction, and I've seen both."

While the Lucario narrowed his eyes in confusion, the Zoroark narrowed her eyes in grim realization. "Then we're not the only two factions around." She gave him a once-over. "You're fine to move. Use your good shoulder to carry that Delphox out of here." When Lucien gave her a questioning look, she added, "Don't waste my good graces."

* * *

The ensuing battle was over nearly instantly. The Zoroark had taken the Bisharp by surprise, especially since the Greninja saw her coming and lured their enemy into an appropriate ambush position. Meanwhile, Lucian found carrying Lyra to not be that bad. She was surprisingly light, considering the amount of fur that Delphoxes had, so carrying her over his good shoulder didn't cause too much issue, although the Lucario was still ordered by the Zoroark to stay back. Unfortunately, her Flamethrower had proven to have been too much, and the enemy Bisharp had died from his wounds, so there was no getting any information out of him.

And Lucien was still stuck in his predicament. The Dark-type made sure of that. "Glenn." The Greninja raised an eyebrow as the only indication he had heard her. Lucien supposed ninjas were like that behavior-wise, always subtle. However, the Zoroark had then indicated with a finger to Lyra. "Get her back to the Soldiers. She'll wake up eventually, I didn't aim for a lethal blow."

Lucien was back on the ground, though sitting this time and without force. "Um, thanks… but…?"

The Zoroark grinned. "Oh, you're coming with me." The Lucario's expression was so obvious and expected that she had to prevent herself from laughing. "Yes, back to Judgment's camp in this town. We have a lot to share, don't we now?" Glenn raised an eyebrow, still not aware of what happened with the Bisharp or what the other two knew, but kept to himself, assuming that he would learn when it was time.

Lucien sighed, resigning himself to the fact that there was no escaping it. The Zoroark regarded him curiously, before turning to face him in full. "Since I suppose you'll be spending quite some time with us, it wouldn't harm to formally introduce myself." She grabbed his hand, firmly but not forcefully helping him up and motioning for him to follow.

"My name's Rhinn."

Lucien was worn out enough that it was all he could do to follow her as the Greninja followed him. This wasn't good.

* * *

R & R please! I am definitely looking forward to writing this one, and I hope I can keep my quality even to my own expectations. You may think I'm being hard on myself, but it's a great way to improve, seriously. I want to be a writer who you can refer to an people will know who I am because my stories are awesome. I know other writers on this site who are like that.

But, for now, I have you faithful readers! And reviewers. Yes. Please do that too. Thanks! I'll see you next time.

I'm not a fan of Delphox's ingame appearance at all. The official art is nice, but I prefer the fanart by Simplederk on Deviantart.


	2. Captive?

**Chapter 2: Captive…?**

* * *

While Lucien was being 'escorted' to Judgment's camp, or wherever it was, the Zoroark had still led him through the town, still a battleground even if the action was winding down. It was presumably why Glenn had given a single nod to the Zoroark before the dashing off to assist in closing out the remaining fights and getting things under control, despite what implications said actions could have. And yet, as the Lucario had made the slightest facial expression at hoping to escape now that the Greninja was absent, a single withering glance from Rhinn had erased that hope, since there seemed to be none of his allies around.

"Do you trust me that much to let me walk on my own?" It was a question out of the blue, and somewhat related, but it was more from the fact that Lucien was uncomfortable with their silence, especially considering the background sounds weren't all that pleasant.

Rhinn snorted derisively. "Less effort on my part." And again, silence. It was already proven that she could defeat him at any given point. Well, somewhat proven. If only the Lucario could catch her off guard, then just maybe…

Nah. He doubted that he could get off an attack before the Dark-type could react. He had already been given a measure of her ability to do so when he was first attacked. Besides, if it failed, which was quite likely, it would only result in another beating. Being unconscious for this little trip was starting to appeal to him, but the Zoroark would probably refrain from doing so and make him walk, even with injuries.

Then again, it was only a town. The two Pokemon reached their destination in little time, and Lucien wasn't too shocked that Judgment had a fairly similar set-up to his own. For example, also using houses to group up divisions. Rhinn led the Lucario into one of the buildings that he could only assume was the commander's.

But, what awaited them inside made the Zoroark sigh in a way that led Lucien to believe that the sound was one made far too often for the Dark-type's liking. The Lucario certainly wasn't expecting it either.

"Heyyyyyy, look at what the furry brought back today!" Within moments, Lucien found a Mawile curiously inspecting every square inch of his body. "Mm, not a bad catch, girlie." The Lucario's face blanked, glancing around the room and wondering whether or not he would be allowed to whack the Steel-type. This action did more than catch Rhinn rolling her eyes; by taking a look around, he noticed the room's other occupant. A Gengar was lazily watching him from a chair, apparently drinking a soda while trying to act disinterested when he obviously felt otherwise.

It was only when he Mawile started feeling him up did the Lucario again look pointedly at the Zoroark, who simply sighed again. "Cassie, leave him alone."

The aforementioned Mawile made a pouty face. "But Rhinnnnnnn, he's really buff! Come on and feel his muscles, I know you wanna." This comment made both Lucien and Rhinn begin to get visibly irritated, the former getting fed up with the prisoner-of-war mindset and attempting to move elsewhere, but the Mawile simply hopped up on his shoulder. "Aw, don't be like that," she pouted, but to whom it was directed to wasn't really clear, as both Pokemon were annoyed.

The Gengar chuckled, managing to make eye contact with Lucien. "Oh yes, be like that. It's funny." The Lucario snorted, but winced as Cassie started hopping up and down on his head.

"Rhinn! Aren't you listening? I swear, this guy's a total hottie and you'd be stupid if-" The Mawile never got to finish her sentence, as the Zoroark promptly took one quick step next to the Lucario, punching Cassie in the face and sending her flying into the wall down the hallway.

It took her a few moments to reset her pulse back to its resting state, but the Zoroark soon looked like nothing had even happened, walking back over to another chair and sitting down, but unlike the Gengar, she was sitting on the edge of her seat, leaning forward on her legs using her arms as a rest for her head. "Oh Arceus, why does she have to be such a douche?" She looked around to find the Gengar smiling at her. Glaring back, she snapped, "Oh, pass me a Sitrus soda already. Yeesh." Without looking, she caught the thrown can with one hand before mumbling incomprehensible words under her breath as she opened it, taking a long drink.

Lucien watched all of this, fully confused by the interactions between each of the Pokemon that lived in this house, or so he assumed. Glancing at the Gengar, who was still reclined in his chair, he raised an eyebrow. "Um, can I…?"

The Ghost-type grinned. "Just because you're a Soldier noob doesn't mean we don't have fun, with or without you. The name's Devin." He paused momentarily, looking upwards in thought. "Now that I think about it, you could probably use a drink, too. Made of Sitrus berries." The Gengar gave Lucien a once-over. "Yep, you look like shit. Rhinn really did a number on you, huh?"

"Spur of the moment, Devin. Shut up."

The comment from across the room caught the Gengar off guard for a few seconds, but he just shrugged, tossing a can to the Fighting-type. "The boss'll be back any second now anyway. Don't think it's all fun and games here. Too bad, though." Devin held his can of soda out at arm's length for a moment, looking at it before pulling out a bendy straw from out of nowhere, slipping it into the can, and began drinking from the straw, still fully reclined.

Lucien still really wasn't sure what to make of the group. They all seemed so unprofessional and haphazard, totally different from what he was used to back with the Soldiers. Were these guys really enemies they were waging a war with? He noticed that Cassie was still passed out on the floor down the hallway, yet another confirmation that Rhinn was seriously strong.

And then the door barged open, the hinges seeming like they'd fall apart from the force. Looked like Devin was right. A Rhyperior lumbered into the room, quickly assessing the situation with his subordinates, shrugging, and turning to the Lucario, who was still blankly standing in the middle of the room. "Oi, you there. One of them Soldiers, I take it? Have a seat, laddie, have a seat." The Rock-type indicated to one of the chairs around the room, but towards one at a table. Lucien raised his eyebrows before complying, and the Rhyperior followed suit. It was a wonder that his chair didn't break. He smiled at the Fighting-type, with an expression that showed warmth, and yet at the same time seemed very confrontational. "Aight, I don't recognize yeh, so yer definitely someone from the enemy side." This was said like a statement, but the Rhyperior's inquisitive and expectant expression indicated that it he wanted confirmation. Lucien nodded, still not sure what to make of their leader. He seemed lax enough, but definitely showed signs of being a capable leader just by looking at him and his behavior. A bad situation the Lucario might've been in, but that didn't take away from his analytical ability. Still, he nodded, with a resigned look that he'd been wearing for the majority of his day so far. The Rhyperior went on. "So. Seeing as yer here, I reckon it was one of mine that captured yeh, right? Which one, might I ask?" The Rock-type rested his arms on the table, interlocking his fingers as he gazed at Lucien.

The Lucario nodded, again confirming the Rhyperior's assumptions. "It was Rhinn over there. Though, she caught me out in my own bedroom. Any respect for privacy around here?" Lucien rested his head on one arm, still hurting badly from the beating he got. That pain also reminded him that he still hadn't opened his Sitrus soda, which he promptly did and took a sip.

The Rhyperior chuckled. "Ah yes, that soda would help. Devin's got a knack for obtaining the most convenient things that happen to be useful…" Remembering what he was talking about, he gave a genuine smile. "But yeah, Rhinn's a brutal one, lad. Also, I never introduced myself, sorry 'bout that. I'm Brent, one of the commanders our leader sent out here to this Arceus-forsaken town." A slight pause, and a glance towards the Dark-type in the corner. "But, in the boy's bedroom, Rhinn? I'd like t'know about that myself."

The Zoroark's hand twitched, crushing her can of soda. "Dammit Brent, this is a war. It happened after the explosions, okay? It was a bad time, don't judge me."

"Still, you fight in the streets, not going snooping 'round the sleeping quarters of-"

"Okay, okay." Rhinn rolled her eyes, getting up out of her seat and walking down the hallway. She was about to head into a different room, but paused for a moment to prod the still-unconscious Mawile once. This elicited a small mumble, which apparently satisfied the Zoroark enough that she continued out.

Brent chuckled. "Tightly wound as always, too. Does her good, but it's too much at times. Ah, get to be a veteran like me and yeh don't get bothered by as much." His expression changed from friendly to dead-serious in the blink of an eye. "Now, down t'business. Yer still a P.O.W., and it's better to be of use than t'be dead."

Lucien sighed, nodding. He knew that this would reach that point, sometime or another. He just hoped it wouldn't be too bad…

* * *

Lyra awoke slowly, her eyes trying to adjust to a brighter environment. The lights were rather bright, so she immediately closed them again for a moment. The ground felt… soft? Opening her eyes again (but only slightly), the Delphox noticed that she was in a bed. A bed? The last thing she remembered was explosions, lots of them. She had tried to find Lucien and – Lucien! The Zoroark…! She abruptly sat up, looking around and startling the doctor, a Togetic, who had just been about to say something. Lyra had been as well, but she realized that she was in the medical room of their barracks. At this, she raised her eyebrows. "Wait, why am I here?"

The Togetic smiled. "Relax. You were in critical condition for a while, so you still need to take it easy. Glad to see that you're awake so… actively." He raised an eyebrow, setting down his notepad.

Lyra frowned. "No, like, how did I get here?" She gestured to the room. "Like, physically."

The Togetic frowned as well. "Well, one of our soldiers reporting seeing a Greninja drop you off nearby one of our buildings." He paused momentarily. "Did you know him, or…?"

The Delphox shook her head. "That's why I asked. When the fighting broke out, Lucien was missing, so I went to go look for him, and I entered his room to find a Zoroark who had pinned him down. She moved so fast it was just a blur and then everything went black."

The Togetic's mouth opened, but no words came out. He seemed slightly flustered, having dropped his pen as he was marking down Lyra's medical readings. "You and he are both from Garrett's division, yes? No wonder he seemed stressed… I will be back momentarily."

The Delphox sighed, shifting on the bed and staring at the floor. So, Lucien had been captured…? And she had been left alone… no, she was brought back! What were they…?

Her train of thought was interrupted when a familiar Gallade slammed the door open, rushing in. "Lyra. Lucien was taken?!"

The Delphox was taken aback at how quick her commander got there, but nonetheless saluted. "Yes, sir. I had gone to look for him when the commotion broke out. A Zoroark was already in his room when I got there. She had beaten him, and knocked me out in one blow as I entered. I presume his room is still a mess?" She looked around nervously. "The enemy apparently brought me back to the main compound… our building, not theirs. I don't know what their purpose would be for such a thing, but…"

Garrett reached out with an arm, resting his hand on her shoulder. "I understand your frustration. We'll get him back, I promise." Crossing his arms again, he looked out the nearby window. "I can't just let one of my soldiers be taken like that." The Gallade narrowed his eyes. "But Lucien… I know he's skilled. Was he defeated that easily…?"

Lyra shrugged. "Look at what happened. I ended up here."

The Togetic popped his head in between the two of them. "I apologize for my interruption sir, but I cannot allow miss Lyra here to talk long. Her head injury was quite serious, and she is lucky to be alive. I would rather not let her aggravate the injury. It's excellent to see her in such a healthy appearance, but she does need her rest." He gave a friendly but apologetic smile to Lyra.

Garrett nodded, turning to the doctor. "I understand. Please, keep me informed of her progress. There's something I'd like to try when we reorganize, concerning our missing Lucario." The Gallade turned to Lyra momentarily. "Private, stay healthy. A quick recovery would be in your best interest, especially if you want to be one of the soldiers out there when we get him back." He flashed a small smile before heading out the door.

The Delphox sighed, lying back down in her bed. She was worried about Lucien. She hoped he wasn't being treated too badly.

* * *

Lucien leaned back in his chair, taking another long sip of his soda. "Well, that doesn't sound too different, actually."

The Rhyperior chuckled. "If yeh say so, kid." He took a slow breath, letting the air flow in and out. It was good to be around an enemy and not be fighting. "Even though they're opposites, you can still twist it to serve a similar purpose. Xerneas, god of life, whatever. He gives life to Pokemon? Well, there's always a dynamic between two powers."

Brent took a sip of his own soda. "Damn, I don't know where that blasted Gengar finds all this good stuff in the middle of a war."

They could both hear said Gengar's voice from the next room. "It's because I'm awesome, losers."

Lucien's face was blank as the Rhyperior just sighed. "Whatever, whatever… But anyway, we're called Judgment because that's what will come. Yveltal is the god of destruction. While Xerneas can give life, Yveltal can just as easily take it away. It's by her graces that we continue to live every day."

The Lucario frowned. "So, they both basically work together to keep the world's life flowing. Then why are we fighting?"

Brent just chuckled again. "You learn that with age, m'boy. They might be working together in that sense, but it doesn't mean their goals are the same, either. You got Pokemon devoted to each one's cause, and boom, conflict." He shook his head. "The only unfortunate thing is that you got Pokemon willing to die for their cause. That's why we got war."

Lucien thought about this for a moment. "But what about those goals? How do we know they conflict, if they might just be working together?"

The Rhyperior grinned leaned over and gave the Lucario a good pat on the back, leaving him slightly winded. "Only Arceus knows that, lad." After a pause, he reconsidered this. "Well, I suppose the oracles do, too." Noting Lucien's expression, he continued. "You know, the one 'Mon who apparently hears directly from our god? Tells her wishes to the rest of us."

The Lucario nodded. "Oh." He had thought that their leader was just that, a leader. He never knew that the Gardevoir in charge of their entire faction was receiving orders from Xerneas himself. It made him slightly curious as for the identity of Judgment's oracle, but it wasn't something that he was going to risk asking. The group that had captured him seemed extremely lax, but they still showed discipline when warranted, and Lucien didn't want to push his luck.

Brent then stood up abruptly. "So. It's been nice getting to know ya. Talking with an enemy really gives insight on what their cause is, right? You can understand us more, we can understand you more. Doesn't settle the differences though. That's that." The Rhyperior narrowed his eyes, something that Lucien found quite intimidating. "But, we're not the only two sides, so I hear. Something we need to know about, I'd guess." The Rock-type motioned with an arm, and Rhinn appeared at his side from the shadows, albeit reluctantly, giving Lucien a mild look of disdain. "We're gonna be finding out. I don't wanna report about something that controversial without evidence."

Lucien gulped, not liking where this was heading. Neither did the Zoroark. And yet, the Rhyperior's expression remained as stout as ever.

* * *

So. I see a good lack of reviews. Come on, people! A lot of viewers and only one actually wrote one. Please! Feedback is a great thing for any writer! Help me help you enjoy the story more! With that, see you all next time, whenever that may be, haha.


	3. Gone

**Chapter 3: Gone**

* * *

_'We don't have much time. I'll let you say goodbye to one of your friends, but remember, you're not going back. You can't.'_

That was what he had been told. Lucien frowned again, sighing as he looked at the door. He felt so conflicted. This was his enemy, what was he doing? He didn't have a choice. But did he? Couldn't he have fought back? The Lucario took a look over his shoulder, and sure enough, Rhinn was still behind him, lurking hidden in the shadows of her illusory powers. Sure, Lucien's aura sight could see her, but nobody else could. She was watching, making sure that he didn't try to escape. And nobody would know. It made it all the worse, looking like he was betraying his allies, his friends. His fist clenched as he gently opened the door with his other hand, silently stepping into the medical house of the Soldiers of Life.

His face was still solemn as he saw Lyra, sleeping in her bed, medical equipment right beside it. And the one who had caused this was right there. He let out a breath before steeling his resolve. He had been given the opportunity to do this, at least. It was better than nothing at all. "Lyra?" He asked quietly, gently moving her arm.

The Delphox shuffled slightly in her bed, slowly opening her eyes. "Mm… what time is-" Her voice cut dead and her eyes snapped open as she realized who it was. "Lucien?!"

The Lucario held a paw to her lips, gesturing for her to stay quiet. He couldn't seem to shake the depressed expression. "Yes, but not for long…" He closed his eyes tightly in anticipation. He didn't want to have to be the one to tell her that he couldn't stay, but he had to.

The Delphox quietly shifted so that she was sitting up. "What… what do you mean, not for long?" she asked in a whisper.

Her eyes met his as they opened, and it pained him, so the Fighting-type dropped the eye contact, instead looking at the floor. "I'm not staying. They're taking me with them."

Lyra's mouth opened, and then closed again. Her eyes wavered as she tried to form words. She slowly dropped her head, holding it gingerly with her hands as she hunched over. "I… don't understand. How…. Why…?"

Lucien clenched his jaw in frustration before taking a breath and letting it out, taking a seat on Lyra's bed next to her. He paused for a moment before wrapping one arm around her to try to reassure her. "I'm sorry, but I have to. They let me tell someone I was going, at least…"

The Delphox was mildly surprised at Lucien's awkward one-armed hug, but there was no doubting she appreciated the physical contact. It was a temporary reassurance that he was still there. That he was okay... He would be okay, but he wouldn't be there with her… "I… so, you're still a captive. I see. But, why did they let you come here? Couldn't you just… you know, not go back? Now that you're here…?"

The Lucario just stood there for a moment, a resolute frown on his face. He wasn't even sure if this was okay, but it didn't matter to him anymore. "Rhinn, show yourself. There's no ambush, I promise."

The Zoroark gritted her teeth. _'Was he seriously…?! Ugh… of course, he's a Lucario of all species, of course he would…'_ she thought. Still cloaked in her illusion, she spoke up. "I still don't trust you. But, I suppose I have to take risks to start, huh?"

When she dispelled her illusion, Lyra stiffened, recognizing the Zoroark. "You…! How dare you-"

Lucien cut her off with a wave of his paw, glancing back at Rhinn from the corner of his eye. "Don't start it, Lyra. Not here, of all places."

The Delphox frowned, slightly confused. Ideas supporting both reasons came to mind. Sure, this Zoroark was deep in enemy territory by accompanying Lucien all the way to the medical building, which meant reinforcements could overwhelm the lone Pokemon, but was it worth the possible mass damage to their area, to capture one enemy? The same had been done for Lucien though… if those explosions… no, it was too much to think about. She was still injured, and it was like 2 in the morning. "But… why?"

Rhinn snorted, but the discomfort still showed on her face. "This is war, girl. It's so simple, and yet so complex at the same time. Like how I haven't killed you already, and instead, I was the one who talked our commander into giving him this chance." She looked back to the Lucario. "We should get going soon. You may want some sleep before we leave at sunrise."

Lucien only looked at her funny. Wait… she was the one who had let him come here? Not Brent, who apparently was against it? That was just… he wasn't quite sure what to think of her anymore.

And honestly, Rhinn wasn't sure what she felt either. The three of them remained there in awkward silence before Lucien hesitantly turned to the Zoroark, nodding. "I… suppose so." With one last look at the Delphox, he smiled apologetically. "I'll be back, I promise."

Lyra sniffed. "You better." With one hopeful look at the Zoroark, of which her opinion had slightly changed with that one statement, she added a comment. "Take care of him, alright? Whatever it is you're going to do… just make sure he'll be okay."

Rhinn smiled genuinely, for the first time in a while. "He's with me. He'll be safe."

Lucien rolled his eyes. "Are you saying that a trained soldier like myself can't take care of myself as well?"

The Zoroark smirked. "Well, I did kick your ass, so I'd say I'm a bit more qualified."

This struck a nerve. "You ambushed me! I'd hardly call that fair!"

Rhinn casually examined her claws. "You surprised me, too. Yet I reacted faster."

Lyra sighed. "It's still very late… it would be best to not raise your voices." Her gaze became stern, directed at the Zoroark. "But, whatever it is you have planned… he won't be gone forever. I promise you that."

Rhinn shrugged. "I don't doubt that. I wonder what we have planned, too." The Delphox raised an eyebrow incredulously. The Zoroark simply smiled at Lyra's reaction before poking Lucien in the side. "Come on, let's go."

And the Delphox just watched them go, meeting eyes with the Lucario one last time before they were gone. And suddenly, the depression came back, and her chest felt heavy once more as she sighed again. She didn't fall back asleep, but merely sat there at the edge of her bed, staring at the floor.

* * *

Brent stood in front of the assembled Pokemon. "Alright soldiers, time to move out. Remember, this is just between us at this point, so we'll be the only ones heading out." The Rhyperior glanced at each soldier, appraising them. "Meaning, nobody except each other to pull yer asses out of the fire. You have to trust each other." His gaze came to rest on Lucien, whose mind was only half committed. "Including you, lad. Gotta stick with us if you wanna do this right. You get out of it what yeh make of it. In the end, it might end up even helping you out. Just consider it."

Lucien nodded, half-heartedly taking the advice to memory. His gaze was still elsewhere, looking around him. Rhinn was still studying him, although her expression had changed somewhat since their original meeting. He couldn't tell how, but it was. Unfortunately, her aura wasn't showing anything. When she noticed him looking back, she simply rolled her eyes once before turning away. The Lucario smirked to himself before beginning to listen to their commander again.

But the Zoroark was still looking at him out of the corner of her eyes, her expression impossible to read. She wasn't even sure what her own thoughts were, either. Brent, however, had nearly finished his debriefing, and soon, off they went.

It was still early in the morning when they left the town, but Lucien hadn't been able to fall asleep that night after Rhinn had escorted him back, despite the advice that he should.

_A few hours later…_

"So, what kind of things did you guys have to do back at your base?" Cassie, the Mawile, had been hopping alongside Lucien as they walked. She had easily gotten over her opinion of how handsome the Lucario was. Well, not 'over it', but she was able to contain herself, and now, she was just curious about him. And by curious, that meant 'learn every single little detail about you' curious.

Lucien wasn't adverse to this. Talking wasn't much of a problem for him, as with Cassie, it was just basically answering questions. "Well, it was mostly just military purposes. In a town like that where is was just a standoff, we mostly had sentry duty, nothing too busy."

"Oh, me too! Except they had us walk around too. Not in one spot though." The Mawile sighed. "It's totally lame, but I get it, it's necessary." She patted her stomach. "And hey, the exercise isn't bad for my body."

The Lucario shrugged. "I suppose."

Cassie tilted her head as she looked up at him again. "So, what about the time you're off shift? Do you hang out, do whatever, have fun, and whatnot?"

Lucien shrugged again. "I mostly just took the time to train by myself, meditate, or rest. Sometimes I would go play games with the others if they were around…" His eyes narrowed before drooping as he sighed. "The others… When am I going to see them again…?"

Rhinn frowned. "I don't know. It depends on what we find out." She had specifically chosen to ignore any reaction she might have based on the memories of last night, acting as if nothing had ever happened. It helped maintain her professional attitude.

Lucien knew she was doing so too, but there was nothing he could do about it, unless he wanted to start another fight. "I was afraid of that…" His expression was forlorn, letting out another sigh.

Brent turned his head, having taken notice of the Lucario's attitude. "I understand, lad. There's nothing worse than losing comrades… but that's the reality of war. On th'bright side, they're not dead, just gone. We'll run into them sooner or later."

Devin shrugged. "Maybe not. They might die too." When everyone looked at him disapprovingly, the Gengar raised his arms defensively. "What? Just saying it's a possibility."

Cassie punched him. "Yes, but you should watch out for Lucien-chan's feelings. You're so classless."

Lucien, Rhinn, and even Glenn raised their eyebrows at this statement, a collective sigh coming from nearly every member of the squad. The Lucario was the one to speak, though. "Um… what… Lucien…-chan…? I don't even-"

"BLAHBLAHBLAHBLAH I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT I CAN CALL HIM WHATEVER I WANT."

Rhinn snorted. "You're such a kid, Cassie."

The Mawile giggled. "I know."

* * *

"Lyra?"

The Delphox turned her head, spotting her commander, Garrett, entering the room. She had still been sitting in that same position, upright and to the side, ever since she had woken up again that morning. She managed a weak smile. "Good morning, sir. What can I do for you?"

The Gallade raised an eyebrow. "I was going to ask how you were feeling… and I suppose I still will. What's wrong?"

And of all things, Lyra started to laugh. It wasn't a jovial laugh, but one that was simply a laugh because everything was overwhelming her. It felt terrible, and it just came from nowhere. "He's gone. Lucien."

Garrett's stern expression grew even more serious. "Tell me."

The Delphox laid back down in her bed, covering her face with the pillow momentarily before letting it rest on her chest, hugging it. "He came last night. To say goodbye. Because… he's leaving. I don't know who he's going with, if it's all of Judgment or just a few Pokemon, but he's gone, Garrett. He's gone." A tear streaked down her face and onto the bedsheet. "I just can't believe it…"

The Gallade stood there for a moment, puzzled by what the Fire-type had said. He didn't say anything himself for a while, sitting down on the other end of the bed after a moment and looking out the window. "So, he chose to?"

"I wouldn't say he did, considering that he had an escort with him, but he didn't exactly choose to fight back…" Lyra sighed again, plumping down onto the bed and dragging the covers over her in one motion. "What are we going to do, Garrett?"

"Wait, an escort, all the way in here?" He shook his head. "We need to find out what he's doing, and where he's going. I want to know why." They let the silence stay for a few minutes before the Gallade spoke up again. "I should let you get some more rest. You probably didn't sleep last night, huh?" When he didn't get a response, he turned around to look at the Delphox. She was asleep already, though it didn't look like it was comfortable for her. The Gallade smiled sadly before getting up and leaving Lyra on her own, gently closing the door behind him as he left.

* * *

_Elsewhere…_

Two Pokemon nervously looked at each other in the shadows of their location.

**"They know."** The voice did not come from either of the two, and the source was not visible. However, the two did seem to know where it was coming from.

The one of the left, the shorter of the two, spoke up. "Who?"

**"Judgment found out. But, they chose not to spread the information. I understand why, and it also gives us the advantage."**

The Pokemon on the left nodded. "So, just one group of them? Would I be correct in assuming we do the same as we did back in the city of Kaladin?"

The taller figure on the right clenched his fists. He remembered all too well what had happened back in that city.

The hidden voice paused for a moment. **"Similar. They have already left the town of Rescor. Also, there is one member of the Soldiers with them, likely a captive. But, yes, the same plan applies."**

The Pokemon on the right narrowed his eyes. "But what if they choose to fight?"

**"Kill them, just as you razed Kaladin to the ground. If they do not see the truth, then they will be destroyed as their beliefs would take them. They wander the plains, and are actually on their way to your own fortress."**

This was seemingly directed at the one on the left, who raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Excellent… with your permission, I will be off. I have a few… welcoming gifts that I plan to have ready…"

**"As long as you do not kill them beforehand. I always welcome those that are willing to be saved. For one of that mindset who dies before they get that chance… it would be a pity."**

The Pokemon on the left nodded. "I understand. Thank you, master."

The figure disappeared back into the shadows of their location, which left the one on the right. **"You may be dismissed as well. I thought I would notify you too, considering your recent choices. That is all."**

The remaining figure frowned. "Yes, master." And he, too, disappeared into the shadows.

There was a period of silence before the hidden voice spoke up again. **"You are here now?"**

For a third Pokemon had appeared, the one figure's outline being the only visible thing in the area. "Yes… you called? I was in the middle of an experiment, so if this is unimportant…"

**"I am always important. I thought you would know by now. But, I summoned you because of your research. What is the estimated time the project will be finished? Our deadline may be sooner than we realize."**

The figure raised an eyebrow. "It is? Well then… our current procedure was cutting it rather close to begin with… perhaps it would be best to obtain an actual sample rather than channeling its power?"

**"With the events that are unfolding, I would say that it is a good possibility you could fulfill that." **The figure had opened its mouth to speak again, but was interrupted as the hidden voice continued. **"And yet, that opportunity will not come to pass just yet. Continue the development of the project the way you are for now, and we will see how we are doing on time as time itself progresses. Come to me if you find out anything unusual, as always."**

The third Pokemon nodded, leaving the presence of the voice and returning to the shadows from where it appeared.

And the voice was by itself again. It let out a heavy sigh, musing to itself. **"This world… it never ceases to amuse me with what can be allowed to happen… it's a shame that such things can bring about its end…"**

* * *

Yep, I told you that my schedule was nonexistent. I'm not promising any timelines. That said, I hope you enjoyed his chapter. PLEASE, LEAVE REVIEWS! They are helpful to me as well as to you! Your comments/suggestions let me make the story better. I can't help you if you don't let me know. Plus, compliments are always nice to see. I'll see you all next time, whenever that may be. Cheers~


	4. Desert Duel

Hello again! Truly sorry for the long wait, but I had finals to deal with, then Christmas and New Year's with the family. After that, I had some things to take care of, especially having to help my dog, who's currently in stage 3 kidney failure, so he's got an IV and everything to basically replace them, but other than that, he's doing alright. Got some other things out of the way, became a Grass-type Gym Leader for a league (hell yeah, Virizion), and back to writing! Hopefully. So, here's the next chapter. Enjoy~

* * *

**Chapter 4: Desert Duel**

* * *

"It would be –kun, not –chan."

A truly odd pair was now walking side by side as the ragtag group marched on. Glenn, the Greninja, had simply taken the path of least conflict and began teaching Cassie the proper honorific terms. The Mawile raised an eyebrow as she hopped along. "Well, thank you, I guess. Buuuuuut, what does –chan mean if it's not referring to my new sempai?"

Glenn again chose to set aside his personal opinion on the issue of Cassie's use of the terms to begin with, in favor of just dealing with it. "You were referring to a female."

This shut Cassie up. She blushed slightly and looked at the ground as they continued on. "Oh. Whoops."

Lucien couldn't help but smile, if only a small one. Despite all he had heard from his own faction about how terrible these Judgment 'mons were, it was quite far off from what he was going through now. Of course, you still couldn't judge a whole using just one squad; after all, this bunch could simply be misfits. But, that would be for a later time.

The Lucario had still been considering escaping, but for what reason now? Their expedition was not against the Soldiers of Life, but rather, exploring the possibility of a common enemy that might be trying to sew more seeds of chaos between the two groups. The twin explosions in both barracks had been solid proof of that already. And so, he had decided to stick with them, for now. They were friendly enough, and it was much easier to keep high spirits than with his orderly and formal squadron.

But, when lunch came around, Lucien was again surprised by something unexpected. The group had found themselves in a rocky area of the desert, and had chosen to gather around a partially secluded rock cluster, which was as much shelter as they were going to get. Taking seats on various rocks, Devin had simply gone around and passed one small thing to each Pokemon present. "What are these…?" he asked the Gengar.

Rhinn, Brent, and the others had already started to nibble at their own bars, some without much care, and some with ecstatic voracity. The Gengar shrugged. "Ragecandybar. They're pretty rare, and just a few bites can fill you for a whole meal. Good stuff for rations, but don't get carried away. Save the rest of it for breakfast tomorrow."

"Ah." Lucien held the bar in his hand, turning it over a couple of times to inspect it before shrugging and taking a bite for himself. He was not prepared for the explosion of flavor on his palate, his eyes opening wide at the taste. Savoring it, he continued chewing the piece and relishing it, before swallowing. "Oh. Wow. These are amazing."

The Zoroark had paused in eating just to watch Lucien's reaction, and she chuckled. "Yes, they're certainly good." That half-smile quickly turned into a frown. "Which is why we have to keep Cassie's supply hidden, or else she'll eat way too much." And indeed, the Mawile had already quickly finished her portion and was staring intensely at Glenn's, who simply ignored the Steel-type.

Lucien raised an eyebrow at the scene around the circle before shrugging, fully laying down on the slab of rock he had been sitting on. He could definitely feel the energy from it already as he stretched his arms.

Brent eyed the Lucario with an indeterminable expression. "It's working already, ain't it lad. Hm." As Lucien nodded while still lying down, the Rhyperior stared at the ground for a few moments before taking a glance over each member of his squad. It was a little while before he spoke up again, breaking the silence that had resulted from each Pokemon taking the lunch break to relax. "Lucien, was it?" The Rock-type's gaze settled on the Lucario, who raised his head to look at their leader at the mention of his name. Brent smiled in response. "I never got t'see just how strong ye were, boy. Report says you were ambushed before you were taken back."

The Lucario narrowed his eyes. "And?"

Brent chuckled. "I'd like ye to spar with Rhinn."

The Zoroark quickly sat up, glaring daggers at the Rhyperior, clenching her claws against her own rock seat and leaving indents. "What?! But. It's. You can't be-"

The commander cut her off with a wave of the hand. "Rhinn, I gotta know who I'm dealing with. You'll be fine." This left him with the Zoroark muttering under her breath again, but he continued, this time directing his attention towards Lucien as well. "But remember, you're not enemies anymore, and we want to still be alright if something comes up. Nothin' too dangerous like broken bones, and if I see any killing intent, I'm knocking ye out. Got it?"

Lucien and Rhinn both mumbled incomprehensible words at they exchanged sour glances. Brent chuckled. "I'll stop ya when I've seen enough. Ready? Go."

The Lucario thought he saw Rhinn's expression quickly turn into a smirk before she suddenly disappeared, and just like that, Lucien was gone as well.

The two ended up finding themselves locked against each other, Metal Claw locked with Shadow Claw. That was when he confirmed it: the Zoroark had a vicious, competitive grin on her face. She definitely knew how strong he really was, unlike the rest of the group, probably back when she had pinned him the day of the town brawl, and was relishing the opportunity to truly crush him. He wasn't going to let that happen. The Lucario ignited a Force Palm in his hands, but Rhinn felt the energy charging up before it was released, widening her eyes. She split herself off with Double Team and ducked away as the closer clones were dissipated from the blast. But, as he tried to pin down her location, the Zoroark kept dashing around and firing off Dark Pulses to try and keep him off balance. Lucien kept his own positioning, countering each one with a precisely aimed Flash Cannon while moving around and trying to advance on her.

That was when Rhinn dispelled her Illusion that had been cloaking her at the same time the clone Lucien had been fighting vanished, letting loose an absurdly massive Flamethrower to incinerate him. The Lucario quickly took a large step back before wind began circling around himself, creating a cyclone and firing off a Vacuum Wave that split the Flamethrower down the middle and drafted the attack to the sides. Rhinn had not been expecting this, just managing to dodge to the side of the wave, but Lucien was right there, meeting her face with a Bullet Punch.

The Dark-type was sent flying for a short distance, but she quickly regained her balance, landing upright and dashing off in a different direction twice before coming right at him with a Night Slash. Lucien smirked, dashing right back in with Close Combat, preparing to land several heavy hits when the two were in melee range to retaliate against the Night Slash, but ended up getting blasted backwards as Rhinn fired off an Extrasensory beam from the very same hand she had charged up with the Night Slash attack. The Lucario grimaced, but charged an Aura Sphere to fire, when he was immediately hit again with a Dark Pulse that had come from Rhinn's _other_ hand, an attack that had also been charging earlier. The Zoroark had closed the distance due to the consecutive hits, only to find Lucien gone. The Lucario had gotten quicker after flinching there, courtesy of his Steadfast ability, and was already out of sight.

Not for long anyway, as he had sidestepped only to jump back above her from behind, firing a two-handed Dragon Pulse right down at the Dark-type. Rhinn could sense it coming, gritting her teeth as she didn't bother turning around. Her arms both glowed red as the aura expanded throughout her body, slamming them to the ground and letting loose a massive 360-degree explosion of power. The Night Daze quickly overwhelmed Lucien's Dragon Pulse and overtook the Fighting-type himself, sending him sprawling as he slammed into another rock wall before slumping to the ground.

Rhinn was quickly there, intending to follow up with a blitz of Shadow Claw strikes, but before she landed the first blow, Lucien spun on his back, kicking out her legs with Low Sweep. Stumbling to her knees, Rhinn lashed out one more time in desperation as she was punched in the gut by a Mach Punch immediately after, but that one strike had been calculated well, as the Shadow Claw struck Lucien in the face. Still, he recovered from that attack just before his adversary recovered from hers, and he took the opportunity to fire off one strong Aura Sphere.

Rhinn saw it coming, and couldn't do much to counter it. However, she simply ran straight forward without regard for the attack coming right at her. It went right through her, the fox unfazed and undamaged as her claws glowed red with the energy of the Night Slash attack. Lucien couldn't comprehend what had just happened, even as the Zoroark dispelled her Illusion to reveal that she was actually a couple feet to the side of where the attack had seemingly passed right through, and he was in too much shock to defend himself in time when Rhinn punched him in the gut, then the jaw, knocking him on his back and to the ground.

Lucien was about to lift his head up and get up when he felt the sharp tip of Rhinn's claw at his neck, at which point he slumped back to the ground, a look of tiredness and bitter disappointment on his face. "Damn it."

The Zoroark was grinning fully and not bothering to hide it, still not withdrawing her claw. "Not bad. Quite skilled, and would last a good long time against stacked odds." Her face drew closer as she leaned over him, staring him dead in the eye. "But not enough to defeat me." Satisfied, she got up, walking over to her rock seat back at the camp circle, plopping down as Devin handed her several Sitrus berries.

Brent chuckled as he got up, walking over to where the Lucario was still lying on the ground, an impressed look on his face. "Rhinn told me you were just a soldier, but yeh definitely got enough fightin' skill to be a commander. Nice fight there, although I wasn't expecting yeh t' win. Lasted a good deal longer than I thought, though." He put his hands on his hips as he looked over Lucien's body, eyeing his injuries.

However, the Lucario frowned, becoming slightly angry. "So you were just seeing how long I could last? Without giving me a chance in your mind?" The Fighting-type managed to get halfway into a sitting position.

Rhinn and the rest of the group were too far away to hear when the Rhyperior spoke softly. "Well, Rhinn's just about got enough technical skill and smarts t' be much stronger than even me, and most of the other commanders as well. That fight was her holdin' back. She just works under me because she don't like leading." He paused, giving Lucien a light smile as the Fighting-type narrowed his eyes as he tried to process the information. "And then, for the fact that she can't really withstand getting hit by my my ol' Rock Wrecker, heh. But you, same as you. Why are you just a soldier?"

At this, Lucien blushed slightly and looked down at the ground. "Um, well… they said I'm too reckless, and that I need to learn by first taking sensible orders…" He grinned sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

Brent simply chuckled again, patting Lucien on the back, which actually hurt a lot more than he intended. "Would be a good thing t' know, lad." The Rhyperior lumbered back over to his own seat as Lucien struggled to his feet at last. Devin was there to meet him by the camp, grinning. "Told ya she's a brutal one. Good fighting out there though. Lasted much longer than I did, at least." He tossed the Lucario several Sitrus berries. "We'll be leaving in about 15 minutes. Heal up, bro."

Lucien simply grunted, sitting back down with a groan of pain. As he was eating the berries, however, he noticed the presence of another Pokemon sitting next to him. "Glenn?" asked the Fighting-type, his mouth still partially full.

The Greninja had been watching the spar intently, and was now sitting next to Lucien and studying him. Upon being mentioned, he simply gave a very minute smile and a curt nod. "Yes. I had a few questions, from watching your battle."

The Lucario finished eating one berry and popped another into his mouth, raising an eyebrow. "Oh?" The berries were already starting to take effect, which was good.

Glenn frowned. "Your fighting style… who did you train under? It's very familiar…" The Greninja's posture indicated he felt somewhat uncomfortable.

Lucien raised his other eyebrow, turning to face the Greninja in full. "Seriously?" He paused, turning to face the ground as he finished his berry. This time, he did not start eating the next. It was a few moments before he began talking again. His mind was concentrated on the topic so much that he wasn't aware that Rhinn had overheard the two of them and was also listening very intently, her eyes narrowed. "It was a Blaziken. By the name of Darien. He was my mentor, and I his student, back at the training camp for the Soldiers of Life. He said he taught the in the Way of the Warrior, how to fight with strength and honor. The techniques were solid, but it was more than just that, it was a way of discipline as well. But, he went missing during the war. The town of Kaladin… that day was so chaotic, nobody could keep track of anything… and when the day had passed, he was nowhere to be found. Darien wasn't among the dead, either, and I don't know what happened to him." The Lucario paused, still entranced by his memories, when he suddenly looked up to gaze at the Greninja. "Why do you ask?"

Glenn simply nodded slowly. "The Way of the Warrior… I see. That explains a lot."

Lucien narrowed his eyes. "How so?"

The Greninja gave a grim smile. "Some of us in Judgment were also taught by mentors just like you… but in the Way of the Ninja. For cold efficiency, boldness, and justice. There had always been a rivalry between the two paths… considering the two who founded each path were brothers, and rivals. I've fought Warriors before… and your fighting style looked very familiar to me. That's all."

Lucien frowned, not meeting the Water-type's gaze. "I see. There are things I'll have to learn more about, then. Hopefully, this won't be a problem for you."

Glenn smiled cheerfully. "No, not at all. I have no quarrel with you at the moment. However, Rhinn might."

The Lucario raised an eyebrow, returning his attention to the Greninja. "What? Why?"

Glenn chuckled. "She's a ninja, too." And ever since Lucien had spoken about his past, the Zoroark had been glaring at him. But when the Lucario turned to look at her, she had already disappeared.

* * *

Shorter chapter, yes, but that's because the next one will be quite a bit longer, and I didn't want to split it up. I may end up doing so anyway, depending on how it goes. Anyway, please review! I notice how many readers I get, and the number of reviews is pitifully low in comparison. They help me out a lot, and help make it a better story for you all! Things have wound down, and I'll likely have more time to write, so hopefully I won't be disappearing again like that for a while, and the next chapter shouldn't be too far away. So, see you all next time! Cheers~


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